


On the Edge Redux (2019)

by IvanW



Series: Ivan's K/S Holiday Collection [19]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Halloween, M/M, Romance, Starfleet Academy, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 14:07:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20967809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvanW/pseuds/IvanW
Summary: There's something strange going on at Starfleet Academy





	On the Edge Redux (2019)

“I’m sorry, Cadet, but Captain Pike isn’t available right now.”

Jim frowned. “But I had an appointment.”

The yeoman manning the desk gazed at him serenely. “Which was canceled. I did send you a message.”

“I didn’t get it.”

She shrugged. “Captain Pike wishes to reschedule for tomorrow night at…”

“Night?”

“Yes, Cadet. At Eight. Can you make the new appointment or not?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

She nodded. “Captain Pike will see you then.”

Jim hesitated one minute more and then turned to go back down the lift and to the lobby of HQ where Bones waited. He was slouched in a chair, scowling at his communicator.

Bones glanced up in surprise. “That was fast.”

Jim plopped down across from him. “He canceled. Which is weird."

“Why is that weird? He’s a busy man.”

“He’s never canceled a guidance appointment with me before and we’ve been meeting every Wednesday since I enlisted.”

“Well, I don’t know, Jim.”

“And it’s rescheduled for tomorrow.”

“See?”

“Night.”

Bones raised both eyebrows. “So? He’s busy. And rescheduling.”

Jim nodded, biting his lip. “It’s just…don’t you think things are getting weird around campus lately?”

“Weird how?”

“Like, Professor Spock.”

“Yeah he’s been weird all along.”

“He’s changed all his courses to night classes.”

“Have you asked him why?”

“Sure. He says he finds the evenings more stimulating.”

Bones snorted. “Sounds like he’s trying to pick up on you. Listen, Jim, if you’re sole evidence is Spock’s night classes and Pike meeting with you at night, I gotta say, it’s thin.”

"I've just...the campus has been strange is all. But I guess you're right." Jim reluctantly nodded. “Okay. Yeah. What had you in a snit when I got down here? You looked pretty intense.”

“Oh.” Bones frowned at his communicator again. “The ex. Says Joanna has been acting up lately and she wants me to deal with it.”

“What’s she doing?”

“Usual kid stuff as far as I can tell. Sleeps all day and stays up all night. You know how kids are. But the ex thinks it’s unhealthy.”

“What are you supposed to do from San Francisco?”

Bones nodded. “Yeah exactly. You done here? Let’s go get something to eat.”

Jim rose. “Sure am.”

The thing was, Jim was kinda sorta seeing Spock. It had only been a week or so since they’d gotten things going and so far there hadn’t been more than kissing. Although lots of that. He hoped to change that soon.

So later, he was waiting outside Spock’s evening class that didn’t get out until close to ten that night. He noticed far fewer cadets exiting as usual. Had some stayed behind to speak with Spock? He peered inside but only Spock stood in the room, over by the podium.

“Not many students tonight?”

“Jim. Come in. And close the door.”

Spock spoke casually enough but for some reason Jim felt there was an urgency to his tone.

Jim approached him and Spock stared very intently at him.

“What?”

“You are feeling all right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

But Spock only shook his head. “I believe you will find more and more students dropping out from the Academy as the days wear on.”

“What? Why?”

“I am…reluctant to say. How did your guidance appointment with Captain Pike go?”

“It didn’t. He rescheduled it for tomorrow night.”

Spock blinked. “I would like you to consider not attending that appointment.”

“Why? Spock, what is it? What’s going on? I think something weird is, but Bones told me it was all in my head.”

Spock hesitated. “I do not have enough information yet to form a hypotheses.”

“Spock…”

Spock glanced toward the door. “But I suspect that Earth is being overrun with…vampires.”

Jim burst out laughing.

Spock stared.

“You…you aren’t joking?”

“I am not. I have changed my courses to night to protect myself from attacks while I slept, however…”

“But your blood isn’t iron-based.”

“Correct. But there is no evidence that this outbreak, if that is what it is, is only effecting humans. I have noticed the disappearance of several cadets, some from other locations besides Terra. I don’t wish to take chances. And neither should you.” He took Jim’s arms, squeezing Jim's forearms lightly. “That is why I do not wish for you to meet with Captain Pike tomorrow at night. I suspect he has already been compromised.”

“This is…Spock, seriously. It can’t possibly be true.”

“Yet you yourself have noticed oddities.”

“Yeah but…” Jim moistened his lips. Bones had said his daughter was sleeping all day and staying up all night, but…no. There were no such thing as vampires. It was crazy.

“Jim, you do not have to believe me, but I do urge you to exercise caution. Do not trust anyone. Even me.”

But Jim just couldn’t believe it. Spock had to be wrong. Not that many weird things were happening.

Rather than spending the night with Spock, though, he ended up returning to his dorm, because Spock declared he wanted to investigate the situation further, and he wanted Jim to stay safely locked up in his dorm. But when he got to the dorm and locked himself in, ready to tell Bones Spock’s crazy theory, he only found a cryptic note from Bones saying that he had to make an emergency trip to Georgia.

That night Jim barely slept, jumping at every sound he heard.

During the day, he couldn’t reach Spock, and as he walked around the campus, he noticed a number of students wearing sunglasses. It was clear to him that rumors were spreading around.

He’d even gone to Spock’s apartment but there was no answer. Jim was getting more and more freaked out. Not scared, of course. Just…disturbed.

Because there was no way Earth was being taken over by Vampires.

Despite Spock’s warning not to keep his appointment with Pike, Jim headed that way that night. Before night fell, he’d bought a cross at a little shop in San Francisco and placed it around his neck. He had garlic pizza for dinner.

Okay, lame, maybe, but why take chances?

Just outside HQ, he spotted a couple making out against a wall. Or at least he thought they were making out. The guy was definitely kissing the girl’s neck. And well…no. He wasn’t biting her neck. No. Absolutely not.

Jim scrambled inside to the HQ.

No security guard sat at the main desk. The hair on the back of Jim’s neck prickled. Usually even at this time HQ had a lot of people wandering around, but Jim saw no one.

His heart started to pound as he called the lift to take him to Pike’s floor.

“This is nuts,” he murmured to himself as he got inside. “Floor thirteen,” he called out. 

And it totally didn’t matter that it was floor 13. He’d been there a million times before. Okay not a million, but enough. And he didn’t believe in superstitious nonsense.

The lift skipped right over 13 though and opened out at 14.

“No. Floor 13.”

But the lift didn’t move.

“Fine.” He got off, figuring he’d take the stairs down one floor. But as soon as he stepped out of the lift the lights went out and he was left in the pitch dark.

He turned toward the light of the lift just as the door closed and he heard the lift moving away.

“Son of a…”

His heart was racing now, which made him feel foolish. Spock and his crazy theories. 

He just had to remember where the stairs were. To the right. Yeah. The right. He felt along the wall because it was so dark he couldn’t see even inches in front of him. He got to the end of a wall, and felt around the corner. 

“Computer, lights on.”

Nothing happened and Jim figured nothing would, but he would have felt stupid if it had been that simple and he didn’t at least try it.

He rounded the corner and heard scurrying.

“Fuck.”

Off in the distance he could see a glowing red light. It was probably stupid to go there. As stupid as it had been to try to keep his appointment with Pike despite Spock’s warning. But it had seemed so insane.

Jim felt his way along toward the red light, which grew brighter and brighter as he made his way closer.

“Hello? Anyone here?”

No answer, though Jim had the distinct feeling someone was watching him.

When he saw the coffin resting right under the bright red light that beamed down from the ceiling, he froze in place. For a moment he was sure he was seeing things. It looked exactly like one of those old-fashioned coffins you saw in the old horror movies.

“Sure, and Dracula’s going to pop up any second.”

And then as the thought left his mind or maybe he said it out loud, Jim didn’t know, the lid of the coffin began to creak open.

It suddenly slammed open and Jim jumped ten feet in the air and yelled.

Pike sat up straight out of the coffin.

“Hello Jim.”

“Oh my God.”

Then the lights suddenly came on full force.

Bones was standing near the coffin, doubled over laughing. Pike was grinning. And then Jim even saw Spock standing nearby. Even Pike’s yeoman was there.

He stared at them in shock. “What the hell?”

“Jim!” Bones was still laughing hard. “You shoulda seen your face. Happy Halloween, man.”

“Are you…this was a joke?”

“Of course it was.” Bones helped Pike out of the coffin.

“Sorry, Jim,” Pike said. “But you had it coming after that April Fools joke you played on all of us.”

Jim shook his head and smiled. “Well, damn. You guys got me good.”

Bones came over to where Jim stood. “Oh my Lord, you bought a cross. And is that garlic I smell?”

Jim shoved him. “Shut up.”

“I’m going to remember this for all my days, Jim. You fell for it, hook, line and sinker.”

“All that talk about your kid?”

“All part of it, yep.”

“I hate you,” Jim muttered.

Bones kissed his forehead. “You love me. Just glad I didn’t give you a heart attack.”

“I wasn’t scared.”

“Sure, sure. What’s this white hair?” Bones plucked a hair off his head.

“Ouch. Go away.” He turned his glare from Bones and Pike to the Vulcan who stood silently by, looking sheepish and quite embarrassed. “I thought Vulcans didn’t lie.”

“Now, now, Jim.” Pike patted Jim’s arm. “Don’t be too hard on Spock. I ordered him to do it.”

“You can order someone to lie?”

Pike shrugged. “Pretty much. Come on. Let’s leave these two alone for a moment. I’ll buy everyone a beer down at the Academy Pub.”

Jim watched Bones and the yeoman follow Pike. “You owe me one too,” he called after them. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Spock. “Well.”

“I suppose you are quite angry.” Spock paused. “I do not blame you. I was reluctant to partake.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I was. But Pike…”

“Yeah save it, Professor. I’m still pissed.”

“You are not going to end our association over this, are you?”

“Hmm.”

“Jim…”

“No. I’m not going to screw myself after all. Not when you can screw me.” Jim smiled a little. “You’re lucky I’m not a vampire. I’d totally suck your blood.”

“As you pointed out, my blood is copper based.”

“That only applies if I’m human.”

“You are.”

“Am I?” He arched his brows. “Have you ever seen me bleed red?”

Spock replied, “Yes.” Closed his mouth. “No. No, I have not.”

Jim smiled. “Then you don’t know, do you?” Spock stared at him. Jim winked. “Come on. We’re going to that pub where you are going to sit there with me all night and not act like you’re bored out of your mind. Then you’re going to take me home and have your wicked way with me.”

Spock fell into step beside him. “That is the wisest thing you have said all week.”

“And then…I’m going to bite you. Or you’ll bite me. One of us will bite the other. Or maybe both. I don’t know but…”

“Jim…” 


End file.
